Fabric and method of and apparatus for producing the same



P 1961 N. OLKEN 3,000,432

FABRIC AND METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME Filed July 1,1955 5 Sheets-Sheet l 1 A INVENTOR. A/f/L L OLA [1V ATTORNEYS Sept. 19,1961 QLKEN 3,000,432

FABRIC AND METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME Flled July 1,1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. My; 1. OLA [Al ATTORNEYS Se t. 19, 1961N. L. OLKEN 3,000,432

FABRIC' AND METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME Filed July 1,1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Mm L. OLAl-IA/ zfizw ML 78% ATTORNEY P1961 N. OLKEN 3,000,432

FABRIC AND METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME Filed July 1,1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 A i/z L OLA 0v BY ATT 0RN15XS p 1961 N. L. OLKEN3,000,432

FABRIC AND METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME Filed July 1,1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. /V/4 L. 04x5 m W m AT 702N516 UnitedStates Patent 3,000,432 FABRIC AND METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCINGTHE SAME Neil L. Olken, 76 Robbins Road, Water-town, Mass. Filed July 1,1955, Ser. No. 519,450 14 Claims. (Cl. 1541.7)

The present invention relates to fabrics and, more particularly, toself-supporting fabric structures of the non-woven type.

It has heretofore been proposed to utilize non-woven fabrics ofadhesively secured plastic threads and the like for such purposes as,for example, strength-imparting or reinforcing layers in a laminated orply material. A fabric of this character is stronger than a similarwoven fabric in view of the fact that the threads may remain flat andwithout bends. Unfortunately, however, such prior-non-woven fabrics, aslater discussed in more detail, resist dimensional deformation and arenot particularly suited to fit curved or discontinuous surfaces and thelike. The complexity of the apparatus and the method steps required forthe manufacture of such nonwoven fabrics has also mitigated againsttheir commercial utility.

An object of the present invention, however, is to provide a new andimproved non-woven fabric that shall not be subject to any of theabove-mentioned disadvantages, and that, to the contrary, shall have thevery desirable property, among others, that it is capable of dimensionaldeformation or change ofrelative dimensions under stress. In summary,the fabric of the present invention comprises first and secondsubstantially planar groups of substantially parallel strands laminatedtogether with the strands of one group crossing the strands of the othergroup and with the strands of each group preferably making an acuteangle with the direction of the length of the fabric, the strands of thegroups being adhesively joined at the points of crossing only. Preferredconstructional details are later more fully treated.

Another object is to provide a new and improved method of manufacture ofsuch non-woven fabrics that is less intricate, less expensive and morerapid than priorart proposals.

Still a further object is to provide a new and improved preferredapparatus for carrying out the manufacturing steps.

Other and further objects will be explained hereinafter and will be moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, FIG. l-of which is a perspective view of a portion of apreferred non-Woven fabric constructed in accordance with the presentinvention;

.FIG. 2 is a similar fragmentary view of the fabric of FIG. 1 as appliedto a curved surface;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a preferred apparatus for manufacturingthe fabric of FIGS. 1 and 2, with some of the parts being shownfragmentary in order not to confuse the disclosure;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are similar fragmentary views of portions of theapparatus of FIG. 3 in various positions of operation; 7

FIG. 7 is a similar view, upon an enlarged scale, of a detail;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 3, though on a somewhat reduced scale,illustrating further details of the apparatus;

FIG. 9 is a further fragmentary perspective view of a modifiedapparatus; and

FIGS. 10 to 12 are fragmentary side elevations, taken- Patented Sept.19, 1961 hoe along the line 1010 of FIG. 9, looking in the direction ofthe arrows, and representing successive positions of operation.

The non-woven self-supporting fabric of the present invention is shownin FIG. 1 as comprising a first substantanially planar group ofsubstantially parallel strands, threads or yarn and the like, 1, 2, 3,4, 5, etc., hereinafter referred to as strands. The strands are shownbiased or oriented diagonally at an acute angle to the verticaldirection V of the length of the fabric and they are preferablysubstantially equally spaced from one another. That angle may, forexample, be of the order of forty-five degrees, more or less. Anadjacent second planar group of similar substantially parallel strands6, 7, 8, 9, 10, etc. is shown disposed forward of the strands of thefirst group and oriented diagonally at a similar but reverse acute angleto the direction V of the length of the fabric. In the case of theforty-five degree angle, before mentioned, the strands, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,etc. of the second group will thus cross the strands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.of the first group substantially orthogonally. The strands of the groups1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. and 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, etc. are adhesively joined onlyat the points of crossing, as shown at 11, en closing substantiallyrectangular areas therebetween which may, if desired, be squares. Thesubstantially rectangular area bounded by the crossed strands 1, 7, 2,6, is shown at I; the similar area bounded by the crossed strands 1, 8,2, 7, is shown at H; and so on. The strands may be of any desired fibersuch as, for example, Fiberglas, cotton, rayon, or nylon and the like.

Though the fabric of the present invention is a selfsupportingstructure, in view of the nature of the orientation of the two planargroups of threads before-described, stress or tension applied to thefabric with a component either in the direction V or at right anglesthereto, will cause the fabric to undergo relative dimensional changes;i.e., to stretch or expand, either in or out of parallelism, dependingupon the applied forces. This is to be contrasted with prior-artnon-woven fabrics in which more than two groups of strands are laminatedtogether at different angles and thus producea relatively rigid,substantially non-deformable structure. This is because, in suchmulti-group fiber laminates, the areas bounded by the points ofintersection of the strands are chiefly of substantially triangularshape; whereas, in accordance with the present invention, they areinherently always of substantially rectangular configuration. Thetriangular construction, of course, resists deformation, whereas therectangular structure is easily deformable.

This advantage of the fabric of the present invention is particularlydemonstrated in FIG. 2 from which it is evident that the fabric can beeasily fitted or shaped over curved or other surfaces smoothly and withappropriate relative dimensional changes. As an illustration, it will beobserved that the before-mentioned areas I and II of FIG. 1 are ofsubstantially rectangular contour and of substantially the same area. InFIG. 2, however, in accommodating the curved nature of, for example, anannular form '12, the rectangular area bounded by the strands 1, 7, 2,6, shown at I in FIG. 1, has become deformed or distorted into arelatively large rhornbic configuration I' in FIG. 2; whereas thepreviously rectangular area '11, bounded by the strands 1, 8, 2, 7, hasbecome somewhat less distorted as a result of less curvaturestressing,thus producing a somewhat rhombic enclosed area II smaller than the areaI. This deformation feature of the fabric of the present invention,therefore, en ables the fabric to he smoothly fitted or shaped to sunfaces of any desired configuration or clnvature. As an I illustration,the curved fabric of FIG. 2 may be adapted? r for use as a reinforcementin tubular tires. The fabric is,

of course, also of utility in flat sheets.

, It is next in order to describe a preferred method of and apparatusfor manufacturing the fabric of FIGS. 1 and 2. Referring to FIG; 3,beams, cones or spools containing windings of the fiber strands areshown at 14, 16, 18, etc. disposed peripherally about a platform 20 thatmay be rotated or revolved in a preferably horizontal plane in thedirection of the arrow thereupon, by a motor 22. It is preferable thatfrom each of the beams 14, 16, 18, etc. a plurality of the strands aresupplied upward to and through peripheral apertures 72, 73, 75, 77, etc.in a circular reed 24, thereby providing an array of strands disposedsubstantially to define a cylinder extending upward in a verticaldirection. The strand 1, for example, is shown extending from the beam14 upward through the aperture 72; the strand 2, from the beam 16,through the aperture 73; the strand 3, from the beam 18, through theaperture 75; and so on. The reed 24 is rotated as unit with thebeam-containing platform 20 by a shaft 26 that is driven from the motor22 and rigidly secured to the reed 24 at the central mounting 28.Mounted upon an upward extension of the same shaft 26 and rotatable as aunit together with the reed 24 and the platform 20 is a further platformthat will hereinafter be referred to as a pick-up plate 30. Theperiphery of the plate 30 is serrated to provide a plurality ofsuccessive recesses or slots 31, 32, 34, 36, etc. which are cut on abias to the vertical'so that the projections 41, 42, 44, 46, etc.therebetween are of substantially trapezoidal shape in crosssection. Thepurpose of this construction will be hereinafter explained. Each of theprojections 41, 42, 44, 46, etc. is provided with a transverselyextending strandreceiving guide or aperture shown, respectively, at 48,50, 52, 54, etc., through which the strands may pass, from right toleft, as illustrated. The strand 1 emerging from the aperture 72 in thereed 24 thus passes through the guide 48 in the projection 41 of thepick-up plate 60; the strand 2 emerging from the aperture 73 passesthrough the guide 50 in the projection 42; the strand 3 emerging fromthe aperture 75 passes through the guide 52 in the projection 44; and soon.

At the sides of the pick-up plate 30, at substantially diametricallyopposite points or positions, there is disposed a pair of endlessconveyors 56 and 60. The conveyors 56 and 69 are disposed in a verticalplane substantially perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the pick-upplate 30. The right-hand conveyor 56 is shown of the preferredlink-chain variety, driven by a gear 58. The left-hand endless conveyor60 is shown similarly of the link-chain type, being driven by a similargear 62. Other types of conveyors may, of course, also, be utilized.Mounted between the successive pairs of adjacent links of each of thechains 56 and 60 are a plurality of successively disposed pick-up hooks,loops, or needles, soldered or otherwise secured to the intermediatesuccessive links of the chain and extending outward from the links. Thehooks are preferably of L-shape, as more particularly shown in FIG. 7,and lie in planes normal to the corre sponding links- Thus, for example,the pick-up loop 64 of the conveyor 56 is shown secured to the link 66and extends to the'left substantially horizontally. The next lowerpick-up loop 68 is shown similarly secured to the adjacent link 70, andso on, for the remaining links of the conveyor 56. The conveyor 60 issimilarly provided with pick-up hooks, such as the hook 164 secured tothe link 166. The gears 58 and 62 are oppositely driven so as to advancethe conveyors 56 and 60 with the respective left and right-hand portionsthereof passing vertically upward in the direction of the arrows. Theconveyor gear58 is synchronously operated with respect to the operationof the motor 22 so that successive pick-up hooks of the conveyor 56 areadvancing through corre-.

sponding successive recesses of the pick-up plate. 30 at the time thesuccessive recesses are passing the point or p0si-.

tion in front of the left-hand portion of the conveyor 56 adjacent theplate 30. The gear 62 is similarly synchronized with the operation ofthe motor 22 so that the successive pick-up hooks of the conveyor 60have advanced through the corresponding successive recesses of thepick-up plate 30 passing the point or position in front of theright-hand portion of the conveyor 60 adjacent the plate 30. The purposeof this synchronized operation will later be explained.Thesynchronizatio-n itself may, of course, be effected in any desiredway, as, for example, through a train of gears between the shaft of themotor 22 and the gears 58 and 62, schematically represented in FIG. 3 bythe dotted lines S, but not shown in detail in view of the well-knowncharacter of the same and in order not to complicate the drawing so asto detract from the features of novelty of the invention.

It is believed conducive to clarity to describe the operation of themachine by tracing the passage of a fiber strand therethrough. Referringto FIG. 4, therefore, the pick-up plate 30 is shown disposed with therecess 31 adjacent the conveyor chain 56. The fiber strand 1 is, asbefore described, fed upward from the, beam 14 through the aperture 72in the reed 24. The reed 24 is preferably disposed close to the pick-upplate 30 and is preferably either of somewhat smallerdiameter than thepick-up plate 30, or the apertures 72, 73, 75,.etc. therein aredisplaced inward from the circumference of the reed 24, as illustrated,in order that the strand 1 may extend from the aperture 72 of the reed24 at an outward incline upward to and through the guide 48 of theprojection 41 adjacent the recess 31. The thread 1 is initially knottedor looped at 74 to the hook 64 that is passing vertically through therecess 31'as that-recess is rotating horizontally past the conveyor56.As a result of this inclined feed of the strand 1 from the aperture 72to the projection 41, the strand 1 cannot be prematurely engaged by thenext lower pick-up hook 68 of the conveyor 56.- A similar result may beobtained with an annularor ringlike reed 24 of diameter preferablysomewhat smaller than that of the pick-up plate 30 and through the innersurface of which the strands may be fed. The biased or inclinedtrapezoidal nature of the recess 31 and the projection 41, moreover,facilitates the movement of the pick-up hook 64 through the recess 31 asit draws the strand upward.

Strands from successive portions of the beams 14, 16, 18, etc. aresimilarly connected through successively disposed apertures in the reed24 and corresponding suceessive projections on the pick-up plate 30 tothe successively disposed pick-up hooks on the conveyor 56, as the.pick-up plate 30 is rotated horizontally during the vertical movement ofthe conveyor 56. As is shown in FIG. 5, the successive strands, 2, 3,and 4 have been secured to the respective successively lower pick-uphooks 68, 79 and 81, after passing through the respective successiveapertures 73, 7S and 77 in the reed 24 and the respective successiveguides 50, 52 and 54 in the regions of the respective successive pick-upplate projections 42, 44 and 46 adjacent the respective recesses.

By the time the pick-up plate 30 ha rotated through about one hundredeighty degrees to carry the first strand 1 and the corresponding recess31 to a point substantially diametrically opposite the starting point ofFIG. 4 and adjacent the conveyor chain 60, the pick-up hook 164 FIG. 6,mounted upon the link 166 of the chain 60, a! before described, passesthrough the recess 31 in the plate 30. The hook 164 thereupon catches orpicks up the strand 1 and draws orpulls it outwardly and up wardlyduring the continued upward movement of the conveyor 60. Successivepick-up hooks of the chain 60 will similarly successively catch or pickup the successive strands 2, 3, 4, etc. during continued horizontalrotation of the plate 30 and vertical movement of the chain 60.

- This continued horizontal rotation of the pick-up plate 30 withcontinued upward movement of the chain 60' causes successive strands 1,2, 3, 4, etc. to become oriented along diagonals reverse to theiroriginal orientation. Thus, in FIG. 3, the strand; that are in theprocess of passing from the conveyor 56 toward the conveyor 60 in frontof the plate 30, are oriented in the direction extending from the upperright-hand corner downward toward the lower left-hand corner, asillustrated by the strands 1, 2, 3, etc.; whereas, the strands that havepassed by the conveyor 60 and are continuing along the rearward portionof the pick-up plate 39, back towards the conveyor 56, are oriented inthe direction extending from the upper left-hand corner downward towardthe lower righthand corner, as illustrated by the strands 6, 7, 8, etc.By the time the pick-up plate 30 has made a complete revolution,therefore, there has been provided a forward partial substantiallyconical surface of strands bounded by the conveyor 56 and a lineextending from the upper righthand portion of the conveyor 56 downwardtoward the left-hand edge of the pick-up plate 30 and including strands1, 2, 3, etc.; and there has also been produced a rearward partialsubstantially conical surface of strands bounded by the conveyor 60 anda line extending from the upper portion of the conveyor 60 downwardtoward the right-hand edge of the plate 30 and including strands 6, '7,8, etc. As more particularly shown in FIG. 8, the rearward conicalsurface may make an angle with the plane of the base plate 30, such asthe before-mentioned forty-five degrees, while the forward conicalsurface will make a corresponding angle with the plate 30 ofsubstantially 180 0, or substantially one hundred thirty-five degrees inthe above illustration.

There are thus provided the two groups of fiber strands 1, 2,3, etc. and6, 7, 8, etc. that are now in juxtaposed planes and may be furtheroperated upon to produce the fabric of the present invention. This maybe accomplished by causing the conveyors 56 and 60 to carry the forwardand rearward groups of fiber strands upward past a brush 13 which may becontinuously impregnated with a flowing adhesive material fed from aconduit 15 and preferably of a quickly drying nature, such as a cementor plastic adhesive. The adhesive may also, of course, be applied inother ways to one or both groups of strands. The adhesively coatedstrands may then be fed further upward by the conveyors 56 and 60 to andbetween a pair of rolls 17 and 19, thus to laminate or press togetherthepreviously described forward group of threads 1, 2, 3, etc. with therearward group of strands 6, 7, 8, etc. The groups of strands havethereby been formed into the material of FIGS. 1 and 2. The thuslyfabricated material may be disengaged from the conveyor hooks by anydesired mechanism such as, for example, the stationary cams 23 and 21,shown disposed on each side of the fabric and extending into the fabricto dislodge the successive strands of the fabric from the successivehooks of the upwardly moving conveyors 56 and 6d. The completed fabricmaterial may then be advanced over a delivery roll 25 for ultimateutilization. If it is not desired to maintain continuous production, thediagonally crossing groups of strands may be removed from the apparatusand laminated in separate presses or other equipment. Heat may also, ifdesired, be employed in the adhesion process.

Non-woven fabrics constructed in accordance with the present invention,in View of the freedom of the strands thereof from bends, may be as muchas twenty to twentyfive percent stronger than similar woven fabrics,when employed as a reinforcement structure. As an illustra tion,successful non-woven fabrics have been made from fiber glass strands ofabout a fiftieth of an inch in crosssection, more or less, spaced apartabout an eighth of an inch, more or less. In addition to achievingrelatively low cost of manufacture and high production speeds, anotheradvantage of the method and apparatus of the present invention residesin the fact that all of the strand ends are active at all times, ascontrasted with the manufacturing process of a woven fabric in whichthere is only one active yarn end, the woof, which is tossed back andforth in the shuttle. In manufacturing a woven fabric, moreover, with ahigh-speed loom operating at, say, picks per minute, to produce an openmesh woven fabric with 10 picks per inch, the loom will produce 18inches of fabric per minute, or 30 yards per hour. In accord-' ance withthe present invention, however, when the reed- 24 operates at about 1'5revolutions per minute, the amount of non-woven fabric, three feet wideand with the strands laid at about an angle of plus and minus 45degrees, that can be produced in one minute is the same as the amolmt ofwoven fabric that can be produced by a loom in one hour, since onerotation of the pick-up plate 30 produces a length of fabric equal totwice the diameter of the plate.

The reed 24 is not always essential, though it is pre ferred for theapparatus previously described. If, for example, a group ofstrand-receiving guiding apertures are employed in each of theprojections of a modified pick-up plate 33, the conveyors 56 and 60 maybe elevated from the position illustrated in FIG. 3. The reed 24 maythen be dispensed with, the pick-up process effected by the hookscarried by the conveyors occurring substantially near the bottom of theconveyors 56 and 60 adjacent the pick-up plate 30, as illustrated inFIG. 9. Thus the pro jection 41 of the plate 30 is shown provided with agroup of, for example, three strand-receiving guiding apertures 48, 48'and 48"; the projection 42 is provided with a similar group ofstrand-receiving guiding apertures 50, 50 and 50"; and so on. Theprojections are preferably disposed at an acute angle a of, for example,about 30 degrees, to the radius of the pick-up plate 30 for a reasonlater explained. There will now be a group of three pick-up hooksassociated with each corresponding group of the strand-receiving guidingapertures in each of the projections of the pick-up plate 30. Thus, inFIG. 9, a modified pivotal hook-carrying member 66 is shown providedwith a group of three books 64, 64 and 64"; a similar lowerhook-carrying pivotal member 70' is shown provided with a group of threehooks 74, 74 and 74"; and so on. As more particularly shown insuccessive FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, the successive hooks of each group ofhooks will successively catch the successive strands fed through thesuccessive strand-receiving guiding apertures of the group of aperturesin each projection of the pick-up plate 30. In FIG. 10, the first hook74 0f the group of hooks 74, 74' and 74", is shown engaging the strand 2emerging from the strand-receiving guiding aperture 50. In FIG. 11,representing the next instant of time during which the plate 30 hasslightly rotated, the second hook 74 of the group hooks 74, 74' and 74"is shown engaging the next strand 2' emerging fi'om the secondstrandreceiving guiding aperture 50. In FIG. 12, representing an instantof time thereafter the third hook '74" will engage the third strand 2emerging from the strandreceiving guiding aperture 50". The reason forthe inclination of the projections at the angle a will now be evident,since the three pick-up hooks of each group must successively pick upthe successively disposed strands of each group of strands, asdescribed. Similar operation will take place at the conveyor 66 which isshown modified with groups of hooks in the same fashion as the conveyor56. The operation of this modified machine of FIGS. 9 to 12 will proceedas before described, providing, however, more strands to the inch thanthe machine of FIG. 3. a

It is to be understood, however, that more or less than threestrand-receiving apertures may be provided as may groups of more or lessthan three pick-up hooks. It is also to be understood that the system ofFIG. 9, in which the hooks pick up the strands in substantially theplane of the pick-up plate 30, may also employ single strandreceivingguiding apertures in the projections of the pick up plate 30, as in FIG.3.

Further modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and allsuch are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the inventionas described in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: t

1. A method of the character des "bed that comprises rotating an arrayof strands disposed substantially to define a cylinder, hooking eachindividual strand of the array of strands as it successively rotatespast a predetermined point of the said cylinder, drawing thesuccessively hooked strands beyond the cylinder, hooking each individualstrand of the array of strands as it successively rotates past a furtherpoint of the said cylinder disposed substantially diametrically oppositeto the. said predetermined point, drawing the thusly hooked strandsbeyond said cylinder, applying adhesive to the strands, and laminatingtogether the strands beyond each of the said points.

2. Apparatus of the character described having, in combination, meansfor supplying strands substantially defining a cylinder extending in apredetermined direction, means for rotating the strands about the axisof said cylinder, a first plurality of successively disposed strand-hookmeans movable along the said direction and disposed successively to passa predetermined point of the said cylinder, means operated synchronouslywith the rotating means for moving the hook means along the saiddirection in order that the successively disposed hook means may eachpick up an individual strand of the array of strands as it successivelyrotates past the said predetermined point and may draw the successivelypicked-up strand along the said direction, a second plurality ofsuccessively disposed strand-hook means movable along the said directionpast a further point of the said cylinder disposed substantiallydiametrically opposite to the said predetermined point, and meansoperated synchronously with the rotating means for moving the secondplurality of pick-up means along the said direction in order that thesecond plurality of succesisvely disposed hook means may each pick up anindividual strand of the array of strands as it successively rotatespast the further point and may draw the thusly picked-up strands alongthe said direction. a

3. Apparatus of the character described having, in combination, meansfor supplying strands substantially defining a cylinder extending in apredetermined direction, means for rotating the strands about the axisof said cylinder, a first plurality of successively disposed strandhookmeans movable along the said direction and disposed successively to passa predetermined point of the said cylinder, means operated synchronouslywith the rotating means for moving the hook means along the saiddirection in order that the successively disposed hook means may eachpick up an individual strand of the array of strands as it successivelyrotates past the said predetermined point and may draw the successivelypickedup strand along the said direction, a second plurality ofsuccessively disposed strand-hook means movable along the said directionpast a further point of the said cylinder disposed substantiallydiametrically opposite to the said predetermined point, means operatedsynchronously with the rotating means for moving the second plurality ofhook means along the said direction in order that the second pluralityof successively disposed hook means may each pick up an individualstrand of the array of strands as it successively rotates past thefurther point and may draw the thusly picked-up strand along the saiddirection, means for supplying adhesive to the strands, andadhesion-providing pressure means for laminating and adhering togetherthe strands drawn along the said direction beyond each of the saidpoints.

4. Apparatus of the character described having, in combination, meansfor supplying strands substantially defining a cylinder extending in apredetermined direction, means for rotating the strands about the axisof said cylinder a first plurality of successively disposed strand-hookmeans movable along the said direction and disposed successively to passa predetermined point of the said cylinder, means operated synchronouslywith the rotating means for moving the hook means along the saiddirection in order that the successively disposed hook means may eachpick up an individual strand of the array of strands as it successivelyrotates past the said predetermined point and may draw the successivelypicked-up strand along the said direction, a second plurality ofsuccessively disposed strand-hook means movable along the said directionpast a further point of the said cylinder disposed substantiallydiametrically opposite to the said predetermined point, means operatedsynchronously with the rotating means for moving the second plurality ofhook means along the said direction in order that the second pluralityof successively disposed hook means may each pick up an individualstrand of the array of strands as it successively rotates past thefurther point and may draw the thusly picked-up strand along the saiddirection, means for applying adhesive to the strands, and means forlaminating together the strands drawn along the said direction beyondeach of the said points. i

5. Apparatus of the character described having, in combination, aplatform provided with means for supplying strands from which may bedrawn an array of strands substantially defining a cylinder extending ina direction substantially normal to the platform, a pick-up platedisposed substantially parallel to the platform and peripherallyprovided with a plurality of strand-receiving guiding means separatedfrom one another by recesses, the strands of the array of strands beingadapted to be fed along the said direction from the strand-supplyingmeans through the strand-receiving guiding means at regions thereofadjacent the corresponding recesses between the guiding means, drivingmeans for rotating the platform and the pick-up plate, first and secondconveying means disposed adjacent substantially diametrically oppositepredetermined points of the hook plate and each provided with aplurality of pick-up means disposed successively along the conveyor, andmeans operated synchronously with the driving means for moving theconveyors along the said direction so that, as the successively disposedrecesses of the pick-up plate are rotated past the respectivepredetermined points, the successive hook means of the respectiveconveyors may pass through the successive recesses in order toindividually pick up at the said adjacent regions of the correspondingstrand-receiving guiding means the successive strands of the array ofstrands, thereby to draw the same along the said direction away from thepick-up plate.

6. Apparatus of the character described having, in combination, aplatform provided with means for supplying strands from which may bedrawn an array of strands substantially defining a cylinder extending ina direction substantially normal to the platform, a pick-up platedisposed substantially parallel to the platform and peripherallyprovided with a plurality of strand-receiving guiding means separatedfrom one another by recesses, the strands of the array of strands beingadapted to be fed along the said direction from the strand-supplyingmeans through the strand-receiving guiding means at regions thereofadjacent the corresponding recesses between the guiding means, drivingmeans for rotating the platform and the pick-up plate, first and secondconveying means disposed adjacent substantially diametrically oppositepredetermined points of the pick-up plate and each provided with aplurality of hook means disposed successively along the conveyor, meansoperated synchronously with the driving means for moving the conveyorsalong the said direction so that, as the successively disposed recessesof the pick-up plate are rotated past the respective predeterminedpoints, the successive hook means of the'respective conveyors may passthrough the successive recesses in order to individually pick up at thesaid adjacent regions of the corresponding strand-receiving guidingmeans the successive strands of the array of strands, thereby to drawthe same along the said direction away from the pick-up plate, meansapplying adhesive to the strands, and means for laminating together thestrands drawn along the said direction beyond each of the said points.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim and in which further guiding means isprovided for inclining outward the portions of the strands adjacent thepick-up plate.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 and in which the further guidingmeans comprises a reed.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 and in which the said recesses arebounded by edges of the strand-receiving guiding means inclined to thesaid direction.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 and in which the said conveyors arelink chains and the said hooks are secured to the links.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 and in which the strand-receivingguiding means comprises projections each provided with a transverseguiding aperture for receiving one of the strands.

12. Apparatus of the character described that comprises means forrotating an array of strands disposed substantially to define a cylinderextending in a predetermined direction, hook means for individuallypicking up the successive strands of the array of strands as theysuccessively rotate past a predetermined point of the said cylinder,means for drawing the successively picked-up strands along the saiddirection beyond the cylinder, hook means for individually picking upthe successive strands of the array of strands as they successivelyrotate past a further point of the said cylinder disposed substantiallydiametrically opposite to the said predetermined point, and mechanicalmeans for drawing the thus ly picked-up strands along the saiddirection.

13. Apparatus of the character described that comprises means forrotating an array of strands disposed substantially to define a cylinderextending in a predetermined direction, hook means for individuallypicking up the successive strands of the array of strands as theysuccessively rotate past a predetermined point of the said cylinder,means for drawing the successively picked-up strands along the saiddirection beyond the cylinder, hook means for individually picking upthe successive strands of the array of strands as they successivelyrotate past a further point of the said cylinder disposed substantiallydiametrically opposite to the said predetermined point, means fordrawing the thusly picked-up strands along the said direction, means forsupplying adhesive to the strands, and adhesionproducing pressure meansfor laminating and adhering together the strands drawn along the saiddirection beyond each of the said points.

14. Apparatus of the character described that comprises means forrotating an array of strands disposed substantially to define a cylinderextending in a predetermined direction, hook means for individuallypicking up the successive strands of the array of strands as theysuccessively rotate past a predetermined point of the said cylinder,means for drawing the successively picked-up strands along the saiddirection beyond the cylinder, hook means for individually picking upthe successive strands of the array of strands as they successivelyrotate past a further point of the said cylinder disposed substantiallydiametrically opposite to the said predetermined point, means fordrawing the thusly picked-up strands along the said direction, means forsupplying adhesive to the strands, and adhesion-producing pressure meansfor laminating together the strands drawn along the said directionbeyond each of the said points.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,211,851 Howard Jan. 9, 1917 1,316,845 Magnasco Sept. 23, 19191,460,949 Currier July 3, 1923 1,493,271 Ochlich May 6, 1924 1,605,356Leipert Nov. 2, 1926 1,951,301 Angier et a1. 1. Mar. 13, 1934 2,266,761Jackson et a1. Dec. 23, 1941 2,548,467 Crise Apr. 10, 1951 2,574,221Modigliani Nov. 6, 1951 2,614,054 Baisch et a1 Oct. 14, 1952 2,797,728Slayter et a1. July 2, 1957

